Luxe publisher Assouline is toasting the legacy of the ultimate agave-based spirit in The Art of Tequila: Spirit of Mexico.
Featuring text by Mexico City-born author Suleman Anaya, the tome takes a sweeping look at Mexico’s native spirit in eye-catching detail. As Assouline notes, the elegant volume delivers “a visually arresting and authoritative exploration of tequila as one of Mexico’s most enduring cultural forces,” expanding on the spirit and its journey from agave field to bottle, covering its Jalisco origins, the journey of the liquid itself and the design of some of the most iconic tequila bottles (and companies) on the market.
The book (available now online at Assouline for $120 and serving as the perfect gift for tequila enthusiasts), also looks at the work of Mexican artisans and artists in crafting the country’s homegrown spirit.
Captured in eye-catching detail, the book pays notable attention to collaborations between major luxury producers like Jose Cuervo’s Reserva de La Familia, plus 1800 Tequila and Dobel Tequila, offering insight into not only famed tequila bottles themselves, but cultural programs and artistic partnerships helping shape the country and the liquid.
1800 Tequila and its work with famed artists and the likes of Jean-Michel Basquiat is a centerpiece of the text, perhaps the perfect pairing alongside a luxe pour of finely crafted tequila for a refined evening. “The Art of Tequila: Spirit of Mexico embodies the sentiment that tequila is not merely a spirit but a living cultural canvas where centuries-old artisanal tradition meets contemporary artistic vision,” Assouline said of the book, which boasts 287 pages and more than 200 illustrations.
The book and its focus on both heritage and enduring modern impact hold a special place in the heart of its author. “Tequila tells the story of Mexico in motion,” Anaya said. “It is heritage, craft, and imagination, poured into a single, enduring symbol.” It seems there’s no better way to toast a defining spirit and its industry at the moment than by picking up a copy of The Art of Tequila: Spirit of Mexico, although a luxurious pour of, say 1800 Tequila might not hurt, either.
